Broadcast journalist Tom Brokaw wrote in his 1998 book "The Greatest Generation" that the generation who grew up in the United States during the deprivation of the Great Depression, and then went on to fight in World War II is "the greatest generation any society has ever produced." I strongly disagree with him. I believe those who were born in the first half of the 19th century (circa 1820-1845) and fought in the American Civil War - North and South - to be the greatest generation this country has ever produced. Agree or disagree?

I'm sure the book made Brokaw very popular with his so-called "Greatest Generation" and boosted the ratings of NBC's Nightly News broadcast. Dan Rather and other TV broadcasters wrote simlar books shortly afterward. Who the hell put Brokaw in charge of choosing our greatest generation? Other than fight WW II, what much-needed domestic social changes - civil rights, environmental protection, women's liberation, ... - did "The Greatest Generation" accomplish? Sheez, is there anything these media personalities will not do for ratings?

Actually, it wasn't Brokaw who first called that generation the Greatest Generation. The term was first used by William Strauss and Neil Howe in their book The Fourth Turning to describe the British generation of that period. Their term for the American generaition of that period was the G.I. generation. Brokaw's use of the term should be noted as his opinion, though so many have taken it beyond that point.

And according to Strauss and Howe, those born from 1820 to 1845 would have been part of the Transcendental Generation (1792-1821), the Gilded Generation (1822-1842), and the Progressive Generation (1843-1859). Going by their book, the Silent Generation (1925-1942) would have also seen some of it's members involved in WWII, though they would have been among the youngest and would have entered late in the war unless they lied about their age.

Hellcat wrote: Actually, it wasn't Brokaw who first called that generation the Greatest Generation. The term was first used by William Strauss and Neil Howe in their book The Fourth Turning to describe the British generation of that period. Their term for the American generaition of that period was the G.I. generation. Brokaw's use of the term should be noted as his opinion, though so many have taken it beyond that point.

And according to Strauss and Howe, those born from 1820 to 1845 would have been part of the Transcendental Generation (1792-1821), the Gilded Generation (1822-1842), and the Progressive Generation (1843-1859). Going by their book, the Silent Generation (1925-1942) would have also seen some of it's members involved in WWII, though they would have been among the youngest and would have entered late in the war unless they lied about their age.

Lied about their age... that is exactly what my uncle did... and quit HS to join the Navy... Stellar career in the navy, then a magnificient career as a forrester..

They certainly were special, bama. My dad was 35 in 1942, and he had six kids and was a farmer. He got a nice letter from the SSS saying he was better off growing oats and they didn't need his scrawny body all that bad.

But I had the great good fortune to know some who served then. The guy from the 101st who jumped behind Normandy. The Ranger who climbed the cliffs and the grunt who marched from Anzio to Pilsen. I do like to think we still make their kind.